Zero Emissions Zone: Your questions on the pollution charge answered

The charge on driving a car through some city centre streets in Oxford based on the amount of pollution it is likely to create will begin in August.

But this small zone is only a pilot which covers streets including Cornmarket Street, Queen Street, New Inn Hall Street and Market Street.

Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council both signed off on the ZEZ this month.

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But ahead of the zone’s rollout, there have been worries that it could bring disruption to businesses, that air quality levels in many streets are already at safe levels, and that more needs to be done to stop buses and taxis from polluting in central Oxford, instead of private car drivers.

We put these worries to elected councillors from both councils with responsibilities for the environment and transport.

Yvonne Constance, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for the environment, and Tom Hayes, Oxford City Council’s cabinet member for a zero carbon Oxford, answered them.

Disruption to business

Tom Hayes of Oxford City Council, and Yvonne Constance of Oxfordshire County Council (pictured) have led the plans for the ZEZ. Picture: Ed Nix

Ms Constance said businesses would be supported through both the initial trial and when the full city centre ZEZ rolls out with up to 10 permits for their vehicle fleets, which will be available until 2025.

She added: “There are concerns about businesses yes. I have been asked if this will make Oxford a graveyard, but it might be an attraction. It might be thought of as best to shop in Oxford with its cleaner air, less polluted and less congested roads.”

Mr Hayes added there had been ‘numerous occassions’ of consultation with businesses, and that the scheme had been changed to help suit their needs during these surveys.

He also said he hoped the scheme would prove to support them in the longer term.

Mr Hayes said: “I would say we have listened to businesses, we have adjusted the ZEZ to meet their needs and are bringing forward a scheme which will improve air quality around their premises.”

Current emissions levels

On some streets in the initial pilot zone, air quality levels are already below legal limits, according to data at oxfordshire.air-quality.info, a website which displays air pollution levels from devices across the city.

Mr Hayes said it was important to look at the ‘city-wide’ picture on air pollution, instead of at individual streets, as this was still not legally compliant.

He said: “I think it is important to look at the air quality across the city. We have seen air pollution drop across the city since 2013 but we have begun to see a plateau on our gains. Unless we take further steps we cannot get it further down.

“It is also important to add: there is no safe level of air pollution.”

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Ms Constance added the initial pilot was unlikely to drive down air pollution, especially as many of the streets are currently pedestrianised.

The Oxford City Centre Zero Emissions Zone mapped

But she said it was important to test ‘how the process works.’

She said: “I don’t think we are going to get results on reducing air pollution in this small area.

“The area chosen for the pilot is really about how the system works when we roll it out to the whole city centre.”

What about buses and taxis?

On the level of pollution emitted by buses and taxis, Mr Hayes said there were separate schemes designed to bring their emissions down.

On some roads in the city, like St Clements which is Oxford's most-polluted street, buses are responsible for the majority share of emissions according to data.

Mr Hayes emphasised that Oxford only succeeded in a bid for Government cash to become one of the first ‘all-electric bus’ cities in the UK because the ZEZ helped to make the case.

Naming the Zero Emissions Zone

A new Zero Emissions Zone is due to begin rollout in Oxford in August. Tom Hayes of Oxford City Council, (pictured) has helped to lead the plans for the scheme which is aimed at reducing air pollution. Picture: Ed Nix

Finally, Mr Hayes also defended the name of the ZEZ, which some have criticised because all drivers can still enter and inadvertently pollute, as long as they are willing to pay.

He said: “Thinking you can pay to pollute fundamentally misunderstands an existing government framework for clean air zones that exist.

“Any of these schemes are road charging, that is the basis of enforcement.

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“This is the way to do it and it happens in authorities run by Liberal Democrats, run by the Greens, and by the Conservatives as well.”

There are other similar schemes to the ZEZ, such as clean air zones in Birmingham and Bath, and London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone.

But Mr Hayes added: “The standards required to enter the zone without paying are the toughest and the tightest anywhere in the UK, and that is why it is called a Zero Emissions Zone.”